A newly formed company in Dubai has purchased three liquefied natural gas tankers in what appears to be Russia's latest attempt to circumvent Western sanctions. In September, aspects of the management of the Veliky Novgorod, Pskov and Laperuz ships, which were previously managed by Russia, were transferred to a company called Matias Ship Management. Shell companies based in Dubai are often used to procure tankers, hiding their ultimate ownership and management from Western authorities.